By Daniel Loduca, First Year Advisor

Hi everyone!  

It’s Daniel, your First Year Advisor, and I wanted to introduce you to a mini undergrad blog series that I’m beginning with this post entitled “Must-Knows for Incoming Schulich Students.” Throughout these posts, I will give you tips on making the most of your Schulich experience, especially throughout your first year. Hopefully, this series will give you a better understanding of the Schulich community and environment you will soon be entering and enjoying for four years.  

In my introductory post on the undergrad blog, I outlined what I believe to be the three main areas of student success (if you haven’t read this post yet, you can do so here.

Each of the three areas has its own benefits. In this post, I wanted to write a little more about the opportunities available to first-year students that will help you feel truly engaged in the Schulich School of Business academically, professionally, and personally. 

Frosh 

Frosh (or Orientation Week) is a weeklong event that runs before, during, and after the first week of classes. Frosh is filled with fun events that are a great way to meet your new classmates and get used to the Schulich building and York campus. Some of the events last year included watching a York Lions soccer game, going to parties held by the various York University colleges, and a trip to Wasaga Beach! Be sure to take advantage of this experience and attend Frosh! 

Club First-Year Rep Positions 

What you’ll find out very quickly, especially during club week, is that there is a huge number of clubs at Schulich. Each club is focused on a different industry (such as accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, sales, and many more) so that everyone can follow their passions. Most clubs have First Year Rep positions dedicated to providing first-year students with an opportunity to join the executive team and help plan events. Don’t miss out on this chance to join a club in your first year, learn more about the function that clubs play on campus, and start gaining professional insight on an area of business. 

UBS First-Year Rep Positions 

In addition to club First Year Rep positions, the Undergraduate Business Society (UBS) at Schulich has First-Year BBA and iBBA Rep positions available too. UBS is Schulich’s student council. It is often looked to as the voice of the undergraduate student body and the link that passes on students’ comments, questions, and concerns through the appropriate administrative channels. These positions are elected after a campaigning period by the candidates. This is a great opportunity for anyone who has previous experience in being on student council or who is looking to gain experience in that area.  

Mentorship 

One of the great things about the Schulich community is its abundance of mentors available for students. There are clubs devoted to mentorships, like the Schulich Protégé Program (SPP) and LEAF, that pair you up with a Schulich upper-year. One thing to remember though is that mentors are all around you, so you don’t always need to rely on a club to help you find a mentor. Be sure to look towards your Frosh leaders, classmates, and even professors for guidance. 

Professional-Related Events 

A great resource for students to get a head-start on their career path choices is the Career Development Centre’s CareerQuest website. When you log in with your student account, this site assists you in registering for networking events, office tours, and open houses happening on and off-campus. Another amazing feature of this site is its job posting section. In this section, you can browse through jobs, their descriptions and requirements and even apply! Keep in mind that a very similar career website is available for all York University students with different opportunities under the “students” tab at the top of the page.  

Athletics 

If you’re looking for a physically active way to get involved in the Schulich and York communities, take a look at the athletics program. Here, you can make lasting memories away from the classroom and academic Schulich environment. Depending on your level of commitment, you can join a weekly intramural team or just participate in one-day weekend tournaments like Schulympics. Remember that teams are not based on skill levels or tryouts, so all are welcome to join! 

 

As always, feel free to reach out (undergrad@schulich.yorku.ca) and ask me any questions about Schulich or any of the topics covered in my posts and I will be glad to help!